Gluten Free Banana Chocolate Nut Bread

This loaf is dairy-free, gluten-free, oil-free and completely vegan! It is an easy recipe for perfectly moist banana bread, made with oat flour + almond meal, packed with walnuts (excellent brain food!) and bursting with banana chocolate flavour!

If you're not a chocolate person, just leave out the chocolate chips and add more walnuts!

Here is the recipe below! Inspired by my friend Stacy and the Beaming Baker.

INGREDIENTS

Wet Ingredients

3 medium, ripe bananas (1 cup + 2 tablespoons, mashed)
¼ apple sauce
¼ cup pure maple syrup
1 flax egg (1 tablespoons ground flax + 3 tablespoons water, whisk together, set for 15 mins at room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients

1 ½ cups gluten free oat flour
¾ cup almond meal
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup walnuts, chopped +½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (vegan)

Optional Topping

1 tbsp walnuts, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch loaf pan with parchment paper or greased foil. Set aside.
Peel bananas and add to a large mixing bowl. Using a sturdy whisk or fork, mash bananas until smooth. Add apple sauce, maple syrup, flax egg and vanilla. Whisk until well incorporated.
Add oat flour, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk together until just incorporated, making sure no flour patches remain. Fold in chopped walnuts & chocolate chips.
Pour batter evenly into prepared pan. Using a rubber spatula, smooth batter into an even layer, with the shape of a rise down the center—just like a loaf. Using a butter knife, cut a slit slightly off center down the loaf. Optionally, sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Lightly press walnuts into the top.
Bake for approximately 60 minutes. Mine took 60 minutes but I checked on it at 50. Test for doneness by sticking a toothpick into the center of the loaf. The toothpick will come out clean when the loaf is done.
Allow to cool on a cooling rack for 2 hours. Lift out, slice and enjoy!